The life of an Atlanta Zoo keeper

While some people struggle to find their ideal job, others know as soon as childhood. For some, it's more than a career - it's a calling.

Dr. Hayley Murphy was that school girl who always rescued animals and dreamed of becoming a becoming a veterinarian. Today, she's in a woman in charge as the lead veterinarian at Zoo Atlanta.

11Alive's Melissa Long interviewed Dr. Murphy as she gave 11Alive an exclusive look behind the scenes at a top job at Zoo Atlanta.

Murphy is in charge of all creatures, great and small, at Zoo Atlanta, including the largest collection of orangutans and gorillas in the United States.

On one particular day, a cardiac sonographer from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta worked with zookeepers to check Stadi's heart. It's vital because cardiac disease is a leading cause of death in the Western Lowland Gorilla.